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Johnnyfan12 said:
Get on that, bro! Book 2 was my favorite of the trilogy... though since it's a continuous story anyway, you really gotta read 'em all. You're missing out.
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I'll order it on the recommendations in here. TBH, I'm surprised it's this well liked. It's going to have to wait for Kim Harrison's 12th Hollows book though. That series is incredibly addicting.

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Jazz Traveler said:
So sorry, AP. I didn't even go back and read the whole thread before I posted about Hobb. It's funny that we're both anticipating this new series so much. Hope it's better than the Rainwild series, which doesn't begin to compare to Farseer or Tawny Man.

The old sci/fi thread we had going back on the old board I genuinely regret losing. Loved that thread. I used to go back and re-read it every few months, looking to see what everyone had recommended. Nice to check out new authors and see how your tastes aligned with other posters.

I liked book 1 by Rothfuss better than I liked book 2. Hate the whole story line with Denna.

As far as Farseer, I think the writing was strong in all 3 books. Worth searching out to read. The Tawny man trilogy is even better, as in really, really good.

And I love Dresden Files, kind of a guilty addiction. Skin Games is coming out in May

One of the suckiest things about being a fan of fantasy/sci fi series is the long wait for the latest book in a series to come out. Kills me to have to wait so long.
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Haven't read Rainwild series, I was waiting for them all to come out and now I'm just too busy. I read Solider Son and it was a seriously mixed bag. Certainly didn't match up to Farseer/Tawny Man, or even Liveship, although as I recall colton preferred Liveship to her others.

Jazz Traveler said:
Also, AP, did you ever find anything written by Barry Hughart? I remember pimping his books pretty hard back in the day. They're so well written. I've weeded out so many books over the years as my tastes have changed but the Hughart books I've held onto now for 25 years or more.
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I don't even remember him being mentioned. Been too long now. I'll have to look into him.
 
Johnnyfan12 said:
Huh. This is interesting. I found the second one to be clearly better-written and paced.
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Honestly it's been long enough since I read it, that I don't remember WHY I liked book 2 less than book 1. Oh, well. Looks like Jazz Traveler is with me, though. (Hi JT!)
 
Hey back at you, colton and a hey to trout, too. I see you both gave me a shout out some time back.

I think I actually chortled when I saw this thread. Not much can coax me out of lurking.

Now I have to go look up some of those names on the top 100 fantasy list. Looks more like a popularity contest than a best writer's list.
 
AtheistPreacher said:
Looks like urban fantasy? I don't know it. Sell me.
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Urban fantasy/alternate history. I haven't read enough books to sell anyone on what's good or not. All I know is I enjoyed almost every book as much or more than the last. All the characters are very likable and well put together. This makes all the difference in a book IMO.

It's kind of your typical girl meets vampire story but it's a whole lot more. The story progresses fast enough that the main character, and you by extension, are going from zero knowledge in a strange new world to more and more, and a clip that was fast enough to keep me interested while not ruining the story by putting everything out there at once. I tend to hate stories that are the meandering journey type without much progress in the way of underlying story knowledge. This one did not do that with the exception of one book (5 maybe?).

Basically, the characters are great (love Jenks the pixie) and the story keeps going further down the rabbit hole by building layer upon layer. I'm also glad it's almost finished. She could have ended it with book eleven, but that lucrative publishing contracts seem to have taken over.
 
franklin said:
Urban fantasy/alternate history. I haven't read enough books to sell anyone on what's good or not. All I know is I enjoyed almost every book as much or more than the last. All the characters are very likable and well put together. This makes all the difference in a book IMO.

It's kind of your typical girl meets vampire story but it's a whole lot more. The story progresses fast enough that the main character, and you by extension, are going from zero knowledge in a strange new world to more and more, and a clip that was fast enough to keep me interested while not ruining the story by putting everything out there at once. I tend to hate stories that are the meandering journey type without much progress in the way of underlying story knowledge. This one did not do that with the exception of one book (5 maybe?).

Basically, the characters are great (love Jenks the pixie) and the story keeps going further down the rabbit hole by building layer upon layer. I'm also glad it's almost finished. She could have ended it with book eleven, but that lucrative publishing contracts seem to have taken over.
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Fair enough. After becoming obsessed with the Dresden Files I'm plenty willing to give other urban fantasy a try.
 
I am currently halfway into the Sword of Shannara. Started way back at the beginning of the chronological order, and have enjoyed watching our society fall apart, nuclear war, the Elves rising out of the Pacific Northwest and taking over the world again.
 
green said:
I am currently halfway into the Sword of Shannara. Started way back at the beginning of the chronological order, and have enjoyed watching our society fall apart, nuclear war, the Elves rising out of the Pacific Northwest and taking over the world again.
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That's one I came to ask about. How's it been?

Also, has anyone read the Eragon series? I listened to #1 a while back and it was very listenable, even if long at times (what fantasy book is not?). I was surprised it wasn't on any lists here.
 
Johnnyfan12 said:
Get on that, bro! Book 2 was my favorite of the trilogy... though since it's a continuous story anyway, you really gotta read 'em all. You're missing out.
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Just finished the 2nd. The ending was a very nice twist that wasn't expected, and erased all my thoughts of what the third book would be about. I couldn't ask for any more than that.

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franklin said:
Just finished the 2nd. The ending was a very nice twist that wasn't expected, and erased all my thoughts of what the third book would be about. I couldn't ask for any more than that.

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The last few pages of the second book give me chills. Hobb is notably excellent at writing moving epilogues.

FWIW, I didn't like the third book quite as well... it was more of classic fantasy "road" book, which can become tiresome (I think it's generally more interesting when characters are forced to stay in one place as was the case with book 2... having them run into random crap on a journey seems like too easy of an out). I also found the wrap-up a bit unsatisfying. But that was all fixed by the Tawny Man trilogy, which has about the most satisfying ending/wrap-up to a book series that I've ever encountered.
 
franklin said:
That's one I came to ask about. How's it been?

Also, has anyone read the Eragon series? I listened to #1 a while back and it was very listenable, even if long at times (what fantasy book is not?). I was surprised it wasn't on any lists here.
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I have the hardbacks on my shelf. They have been there for several years. I've never taken them out of the fancy box they came in.
 
franklin said:
That's one I came to ask about. How's it been?

Also, has anyone read the Eragon series? I listened to #1 a while back and it was very listenable, even if long at times (what fantasy book is not?). I was surprised it wasn't on any lists here.
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The Earthsea books are actually pretty short (like, under 200 pages).
 
franklin said:
That's one I came to ask about. How's it been?

Also, has anyone read the Eragon series? I listened to #1 a while back and it was very listenable, even if long at times (what fantasy book is not?). I was surprised it wasn't on any lists here.
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I have read the Eragon series. They are okay. The 1st book was the best of the series after that for me it kind of slowed down and the story dragged a bit. Still glad I read them but would not say they are my favorite in this genre.
 
Cyrone Torbin said:
@Fish, did you ever finish John Dies....?
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Really close to being done. Im gonna get the sequel too.

I expected a funny book and not much else. It is very funny but also very interesting and engrossing. Pleasantly surprised with how much i like the actual story.

I watched the movie when i was about halfway through the book (it was on cable when i was flipping channles one day) and it was horrible
 
AtheistPreacher said:
The last few pages of the second book give me chills. Hobb is notably excellent at writing moving epilogues.

FWIW, I didn't like the third book quite as well... it was more of classic fantasy "road" book, which can become tiresome (I think it's generally more interesting when characters are forced to stay in one place as was the case with book 2... having them run into random crap on a journey seems like too easy of an out). I also found the wrap-up a bit unsatisfying. But that was all fixed by the Tawny Man trilogy, which has about the most satisfying ending/wrap-up to a book series that I've ever encountered.
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My thoughts exactly. Thanks for selling me on Tawny Man.

@Spy -- this is what I meant when I said "long at times".


gregbroncs said:
I have read the Eragon series. They are okay. The 1st book was the best of the series after that for me it kind of slowed down and the story dragged a bit. Still glad I read them but would not say they are my favorite in this genre.
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Thanks. Guess I won't buy the rest unless I get really bored.
 
I read Eragon and Eldest. Eragon was OK, but quite trite. About what you'd expect from a talented 17 year old (or however old he was when he wrote it). Eldest, for me, had much more depth. But I haven't felt the need to read any more by that author.
 
Didn't know where else to put this but the final Expanse book has been released.

I'm really excited. I'll be consuming it via audiobook as I can listen while I work which has dramatically increased how many books I get through. I've listened to the entire series and the narrator has been awesome.

The final season of the show, which I personally feel is the best sci-fi TV series of all time (not even kind of kidding or exaggerating) starts in less than two weeks. The show will end where book 6 of the series does, but there is another trilogy of books, so if you're a fan of the series and haven't read or listened to any of the books you might want to pick up book 7 after the TV series is over.
 
Gameface said:
Didn't know where else to put this but the final Expanse book has been released.

I'm really excited. I'll be consuming it via audiobook as I can listen while I work which has dramatically increased how many books I get through. I've listened to the entire series and the narrator has been awesome.

The final season of the show, which I personally feel is the best sci-fi TV series of all time (not even kind of kidding or exaggerating) starts in less than two weeks. The show will end where book 6 of the series does, but there is another trilogy of books, so if you're a fan of the series and haven't read or listened to any of the books you might want to pick up book 7 after the TV series is over.
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I've been reading the books as I watch their corresponding seasons.
 
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